Residents of the 4-square-mile enclave in northwest Detroit say the addition of a superstore to the neighborhood will only enhance the urban revitalization that has taken hold in recent years.

Brightmoor isn't overrun with new commerce, but the new Meijer store (set to open in 2015), along with strategic investment-established businesses, is creating a certain energy.

"I expect a lot of development to come next year; generally, people are looking to see what Meijer is going to generate," said Soummer Crawford, vice chair of the Brightmoor Alliance.

The most stable pocket of retail exists at Lahser Road and Grand River Avenue, where Sweet Potato Sensations, the Redford Theatre, Motor City Java & Tea House and the newest tenant, Artist's Village, are located. TechTown Detroit, which has invested about $300,000 in the area, has been coaching these businesses and merchants toward stabilization and growth.

TechTown is best known for being a high-tech incubator attached to Wayne State University, but its smaller SWOT City program assists new and existing small-business owners across the city as a way to preserve — and grow — jobs.

Brightmoor has been hit hard by crime, blight and abandoned homes, poverty and a declining population. But a community-based effort to rebound has yielded positive results.

Community gardens are thriving in Brightmoor. Thousands of dilapidated homes and commercial buildings have been demolished. Homeownership programs are encouraging those with some do-it-yourself skills to rehabilitate the area's housing stock.

There's even a new effort by an Oregon-based human milk startup to establish a hub in Brightmoor to encourage African-American lactating women to donate their breast milk to other infants in need. The company wants to bolster low breastfeeding rates among black women living in poverty.

The idea may seem unconventional, but Brightmoor is building from the ground up, and a focus on the hyperlocal economy is appropriate there, said Michelle Welsh, director of marketing and communication for TechTown Detroit.

"We've been trying to fill any void that we can to help the community," Welsh said. "There are some struggles there, and social and civic engagement is important to this community. The business engagement is one part of the puzzle, but creating a community partnership is critical as well."

KENNY CORBIN

A mural in Brightmoor

The Artist's Village, for example, a series of converted warehouses, is being used as a large community center. Sometimes it houses pop-ups, hosts karate classes and opens its doors for artists who create pieces to display in the area.

"There are a lot of things starting to pop up," said Crawford, 37, who has lived in Brightmoor for 15 years. "A lot of people are starting small businesses out of their basements, and they are starting to collaborate with other businesses. They are opening their space up to them and letting them get a feel for having a real business."

Ife Johari’s business DrinkGreen popped up inside Sweet Potato Sensations in May. She sells fresh green smoothies and smoothie kits. The kits are for time-crunched individuals who want a healthy morning option that is pre-chopped and frozen — just throw in a blender and go.

Being inside an established and thriving business has helped Johari, who can sell as much as $500 in products per day during busy Brightmoor community events. She reached out to the owners of Sweet Potato Sensations on Facebook, and they were willing to give her a shot. She sealed the deal by bringing a sweet potato smoothie to her interview.

Johari said it is important to offer healthier food options to African Americans in urban settings. She no longer considers DrinkGreen a pop up, but she has no plans of going anywhere soon. She is marketing herself as a business within a business.

"Reaching their customer base has helped me a lot," said Johari, 38, who worked as a certified medical assistant for 10 years. "The networking of food entrepreneurs in Detroit is wonderful right now."